Abby's Keeper
by BubblyShell22
Summary: Leo had promised to come back and visit Abby, but what starts as an innocent visit turns to tragedy leaving Leo with a responsibility he never thought he'd have to shoulder.
1. Chapter 1

Abby's Keeper

Chapter 1: Mr. Turtle Returns

A/N: After seeing the tea scene with Leo and the little girl in "Slash and Destroy" I just had to write a multichapter story about them. This story was originally called Tea Time with Leo and Abby, but I felt that title was too lighthearted for what I had planned for this story, so I changed it to Abby's Keeper instead. I will do a lighthearted one shot called Tea Time with Leo and Abby that will fill in the gaps of things we didn't see during "Slash and Destroy." I really hope you enjoy this story though because I'm having so much fun creating it.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot to the story.

Summary: Leo had promised to come back and visit Abby, but what starts as an innocent visit turns to tragedy leaving Leo with a responsibility he never thought he'd have to shoulder.

Abby sighed as she sat at her tea table. She was so glad the workers had fixed her room so there wasn't a giant hole there anymore. She had hoped Mr. Turtle would come back, but she hadn't seen him, and she was sad about that. Abby had liked Mr. Turtle very much and thought he was nice. He had promised her he would come back and bring tea, and Daddy had always told Abby that you should never break a promise to someone.

"I guess he's not coming back, Ruffles McBearington," she told her teddy bear. "Maybe he found a better friend to play with."

But suddenly, Abby heard a knock at her window. She looked up and saw Mr. Turtle looking at her. She hurried to the window to let him in, and Mr. Turtle came in followed by another turtle in a red mask. She recognized him as one of the turtles who broke her wall.

"Hi, Mr. Turtle, I'm glad you came back," Abby said. "But why did you bring the one who broke my wall?"

"I didn't break your wall," the turtle in the red mask explained. "Slash did that."

"Technically, you both did that," Mr. Turtle corrected him. "I see that it's been fixed though."

"Yeah, Daddy was mad about it and was on the phone for a long time," Abby told them. "We didn't think it would get fixed at all. We had to stay in a hotel while it was getting fixed, and it wasn't fun."

"What's your name, kid?" the turtle in the red mask asked her.

"My name is Abby Brannigan," she said. "What are your names?"

Mr. Turtle spoke up, "I'm Leo and this is my brother Raph. I brought him here because I thought it would cheer him up to meet you since he's been feeling sad lately."

"Why are you sad, Raph?" Abby asked him.

"Well, I lost my pet turtle, Spike," Raph said. "He got in some bad stuff and turned into that turtle who broke your wall. He wasn't very nice to me or my brothers, and now he's gone."

"Don't be sad," Abby soothed. "At least you have Leo to be with you, and I want to be friends with you, too."

"Yeah, you're right, kiddo," Raph said. "I'll remember that."

"Did you bring the tea, Leo?"

"Yes, I did," answered Leo. He took a bag that was on his shoulder and set it down. Then he took out a wooden box and opened it, revealing a pot that had flowers on it. "This is Japanese tea my dad gave me," he said. He took the pot and poured some tea into her cup as well as for himself and Raph.

"Don't forget Ruffles McBearington," Abby reminded him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized and poured some tea for the stuffed bear.

"Are you kidding me?" asked Raph. "Since when do teddy bears drink tea?"

Leo elbowed his brother in the side. "Just play along, Raph," he said softly. "Abby, are you doing to try the tea?"

Abby nodded and took a sip of the tea. After she was done she wrinkled her nose. "This tea is icky," she said.

"Yeah, it is icky, Abby," Raph agreed. "But I've got something that'll make it better." He reached into his belt and took out some sugar packets. Then he put some sugar in her tea and mixed it with one of her plastic spoons. "There you go. Now try it."

Abby did so and smiled after she tasted it. "That does taste better," she said. "Thanks, Raph."

"You're welcome, kiddo," he said ruffling her hair gently.

Then there was a ringing sound and Leo reached into his belt and pulled out a shell shaped phone. "Hello?" he said. "Hey, Mikey, what do you want? Yes, Raph and I can pick up a pizza on the way back. What are we doing? We're patrolling and we're almost done. Yeah, we'll be back in a little bit. Okay, talk to you later."

"What was that about?" Raph asked after Leo had hung up.

"Mikey wants us to pick up a pizza on the way back," Leo answered.

"For a minute there I thought you were gonna tell him we were at a tea party."

"Nah, I wasn't gonna do that," Leo told him. "If I did, he'd probably tattle on us to Master Splinter."

"Is Mikey your brother?" Abby asked them.

"Yeah, he's our brother, and an annoying one at that," Raph answered. "I bet you like being an only child, huh?"

Leo knew Raph didn't mean what he said and that it was just because he was in a bad place right now, but he really hoped Abby wouldn't think too badly of him for that remark.

"I always wanted a brother or sister, but Mommy went away before that could happen," Abby told them.

"Where'd she go?" Raph asked her.

"I don't know," Abby replied. "One day she was here, and then she was gone. Mommy and Daddy fought a lot, and one day Mommy told Daddy she never wanted to see him again, so she left."

"So she doesn't check up on you?" Leo asked. He couldn't imagine a mother not wanting to have anything to do with her daughter.

Abby shook her head. "Nope. She doesn't come for my birthday or any holidays either. I really miss her a lot."

"I bet you do," Leo said gently.

"Yeah, but I've got Daddy and Ruffles McBearington," Abby said brightly. "We're a family, and we're never gonna be torn apart ever. And I've got you two as my new friends, right?"

"Yep," Leo said. "We'll always be your friends. Well, it's getting late, and we need to get home. But I promise that we'll come back, and maybe we'll bring Don and Mikey, too, okay?"

"Okay," Abby said. She was sad to see them go, but she knew Leo would keep his promise just as he did this time. She gave them each a hug and watched as they made their way to the window. But before they could leave, Raph suddenly stopped.

"Leo, look," he said, pointing outside. "Two guys are coming to the door carrying a pizza box."

"Daddy didn't order pizza," Abby told them. "He would have told me if he was."

Leo tensed up at her words. "Raph, go into the house and check out the situation, but stay hidden," he instructed. "I'll stay up here with Abby. If anything happens, push the panic button on the T-Phone, and I'll come down."

"But then Mikey and Donnie will come, too," Raph pointed out. "We can't let them know we were here. They'll never let us live it down."

"That doesn't matter right now," hissed Leo. "Now, get down there and see what's going on."

Raph said no more and left the room. Abby was scared. What was going on? She could hear muffled voices, but the TV was so loud downstairs, she couldn't hear what they were saying. It sounded like they were angry about something. Then she heard what sounded like a gun going off. Daddy had a gun he kept hidden to protect them from intruders. Had he shot the men? Then she heard Raph shout, "Leo, we got trouble down here!"

Leo let out a growl of frustration before he turned to Abby. "Abby, I want you to stay in your closet until I tell you to come out, okay?"

"But it's dark in there, "whimpered Abby. "I'm afraid of the dark."

"It won't be dark," Leo reassured her as he pulled out a small flashlight Don had given him and turned it on. "See? This will make it so it's not dark. Leave it with you, and you'll be fine. When it's safe to come out, I'll call you. Got it?"

Abby nodded. "Got it," she said.

"Good. Now go in the closet."

"Be careful, Leo," she said. She gave him a quick hug before shutting herself it he closet. She heard Leo leave her room and go downstairs to help Raph. She held onto the flashlight and took comfort in its glow. At least she wasn't alone in the dark. What were those men doing here? Had Daddy chased them away, or did Leo and Raph have to do it? Then she remembered that Daddy had a gun. What if he saw her two friends and shot them? She couldn't let that happen to them!

She ran out of the closet and out of her room. She could hear fighting and ran down to see what was going on. Leo and Raph had some sort of weapons out and were fighting the bad men, but where was Daddy? She looked around the room until she saw him lying on the floor with some red stuff coming out of his chest.

"Daddy!" Abby cried rushing to where her father lay. Was he sleeping? As she touched him, he felt cold. Why was he like that? What was the red stuff coming out of him? "Daddy, please wake up," she begged. She shook him, but he didn't answer her pleas.

"Abby, go back upstairs!" Leo yelled. Abby looked up at the sound of Leo's voice and saw one of the men kick Leo back, causing him to slam into the wall. Then she saw the man take out a gun and point it at Leo. She couldn't let that man hurt Leo. She ran and stood in front of Leo.

"You leave him alone!" she shouted. The man just laughed and pulled the trigger, causing the gun to go off. Leo couldn't do anything as the bullet pierced Abby's stomach, and she fell back against Leo. The last thing Abby heard before she lost consciousness was Leo screaming, "Abby, no!"

A/N: Yep, I left you with a cliffie for the first chapter. I'm so evil, aren't I? Will Abby survive, or will Leo have to suffer the loss of his new friend? You'll have to read on to find out. The next chapter is almost complete, so that should be up soon. In the meantime, feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Leo's Promise

A/N: Hey, I know this took a little while, but for those who are wondering what happens to Abby, here's the chapter that answers that. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. You guys are awesome.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related character belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot of the story.

Time seemed to slow down for Leo as he watched the bullet hit Abby, and she fell back into him. His blue eyes widened in shock as blood seeped from the bullet wound. This couldn't be happening. Abby was an innocent child. What kind of person would shoot an innocent child in that manner? Only a heartless man would do that. Leo knew he had to help Abby fast, so he undid his mask and applied pressure to the wound. Raph had already knocked his opponent unconscious and was at Leo's side when he saw what had happened.

"You go and deal with him, bro," Raph said. "I'll take care of her."

"Call Donnie and tell him to prepare the infirmary," Leo ordered. Then he turned his attention to the man who had shot Abby and killed her father. Rage flashed in his blue eyes, and he knew he wanted this man to suffer for his crimes. With a yell, he charged at the man and knocked the gun out of his hands before he could shoot Leo. Then in the blink of an eye, he pulled out a katana and slit the man's throat. Leo felt that time in jail wouldn't be enough for what he'd done to Abby and her father. The man fell to the floor, and Leo turned away from him. He wiped his katana on the other man's shirt and sheathed it, turning to Raph.

"We need to leave," he told his brother. "I'll take Abby. Go to her room and try to pack as many things as you can think of that she'll need. Oh, and don't forget to pack Ruffles McBearington either. He's sitting at her tea table. After you're done, meet me at the Lair."

"Got it, Chief," Raph said. The two went upstairs to Abby's room. Raph found an overnight bag and began packing anything he thought the little girl would need. Satisfied that Raph was listening to him, Leo climbed out of Abby's window and started running across the rooftops, still applying pressure to Abby's wound.

"You're gonna be okay, Abby," he whispered. "Everything's gonna be okay." He repeated the words like a prayer, hoping that somehow they would be true. He located the quickest way to the Lair and escaped down the manhole cover, making sure to keep Abby safe in the process. He bolted to the Lair at top speed, desperate to get Abby the help she needed. She still wasn't awake, and Leo was afraid that she would die if he didn't get her help immediately. He reached the Lair and vaulted over the turnstiles. Mikey was playing one of the arcade games, but he turned when he heard Leo come in.

"Dude, where's the pizza?" he asked. Then his blue eyes widened as he saw Abby in Leo's arms. "Who's the little chick?"

Leo ignored him ad ran to Don's lab which doubled as an infirmary. Don had gotten everything prepared for Abby, but he wasn't too happy about it.

"Leo, what's going on?" he asked. "Raph called me and said you guys needed help, but I never thought it would be for a little girl. Why didn't you just call 911 and let the humans take care of her?"

Now that Don mentioned, it, that would have been the smart thing to do, but at the time, Leo hadn't thought about doing any of that. He had just wanted to get Abby help. "I didn't think about that," he said. "Look, I'll explain everything later. Right now, she's been shot and needs help. I've been applying pressure to the wound, but I don't know what else to do ." His eyes were filled with fear as he laid Abby on the cot and stepped back for Don to examine her.

Don's angry look vanished as he went into doctor mode. "I'll need to get the bullet out," he said. "You did the right thing by applying pressure when you did. We'll just have to wait and hope that the bullet didn't hit any vital organs." He set up an IV and inserted it into Abby's right hand. "I'm going to need help with the surgery though. Where's Raph?"

"He stayed behind to get Abby's things," replied Leo.

"Then I guess you'll have to help me perform the surgery," said Donnie matter-of- factly.

Leo turned a little pale at his brother's words. "Donnie, I don't think I can help you," he said shakily. "I'm not good at this."

"All you'll need to do is hand me the instruments I'm going to use," Don assured him. "There's nothing to it."

Before Leo could say anything else, Raph burst into the Lair and ran into the lab with Abby's things. "I came here as fast as I could," he said. "What's the status?"

"I'll have to remove the bullet," Don replied. "I was going to have Leo help me, but now that you're here, you can do it instead."

"Sounds good," Raph said. He was relieved that he'd arrived in time because he knew Leo wouldn't be able to do the surgery at all. "You go on outside, Leo. I'll take it from here."

Leo nodded, and after one last glance back at Abby, he left the room. He went to the couch and sat down next to Mikey. Splinter came from his quarters and looked at his oldest son.

"Leonardo, what is going on?" he asked.

Leo sighed and told Splinter and Mikey all about how he'd met Abby and what happened when he went back there. "I didn't know what else to do, so I brought her here," he concluded.

"You did the right thing, my son," said Splinter gently. "I am sure Abby will be fine thanks to your brave deed."

"Btu what will happen to her next, Sensei?" Leo asked him. "We can't keep her down here."

"Where else could she go?" asked Mikey.

"Perhaps she has other relatives who can take care of her," Splinter suggested.

"Her mother left her and her dad," Leo told them. "She never came back, so I doubt she'd want anything to do with Abby. We'll just have to ask Abby about this when she wakes up. If she doesn't have any other relatives, then we have to think of other options."

Mikey was looking through Abby's things, which Leo had brought out with him. Mikey smiled when he saw Ruffles McBearington. "Hey, I had a bear like this named Teddy," he recalled.

"Yeah, and you always took him everywhere," Leo remembered. "Her bear's name is Ruffles McBearington. He's her special friend."

"Aww, that's so cute," Mikey cooed.

Before anything else could be said, Raph came into the living area and said, "Guys, the surgery's over. She's gonna be fine."

Leo let out a relieved sigh. "Thank goodness," he said. "Can we see her now?"

"Yeah, Don's just cleaning up," Raph answered.

Leo, Mikey, and Splinter went into the lab where Don was just cleaning up the tools he'd used. He looked up as they came in and smiled at them.

"She's gonna be okay," he reported. "The bullet didn't hit any vital organs. She's a lucky little girl thanks to you, Leo."

"I'm just glad I got her out of there," Leo replied. He took Ruffles McBearington from Mikey and settled him beside Abby so he would be there when she woke up. "We just have to decide what happens to her next now that we know she'll be okay."

"Why can't she just stay down here with us?" Mikey asked. "I bet she'd love it down here."

"She's a human, Mikey," Leo pointed out. "We can't just keep her down here. She belongs topside with the other humans."

"Well, if she doesn't have any other relatives, I can look into some foster homes," Don suggested.

"That's a good idea, Donnie," Leo praised him.

"You can't take her to a foster home!" cried Mikey. "They'll treat her like dirt there. You wouldn't want Abby to be at the mercy of some cruel person, would you?"

"Mikey, foster homes aren't like that," replied Don. "You've been watching too many movies. They'll be able to care for her and give her a new family that can provide for her what we can't. She'll be able to go to school and live a normal life, something she can't have if she stays here."

"We will worry about that later," said Splinter. "For now, she may stay here until she recovers from her injury."

"I'll stay with her so that she's not alone when she wakes up," Leo offered.

"Okay, Leo, let us know if you need anything," Don said. Then he, Mikey, and Splinter left Leo alone with Abby.

Leo found a chair and sat down beside Abby. At least she would be okay, but there was still the question of where she would go after she was healed. As much as he wanted to let Abby stay in the Lair, it just wasn't the right thing to do to her. She needed to be where others could provide for her. He would be sad to see her go, but Leo knew he'd see her again someday.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Abby moan. She opened her eyes and looked around, confused as to where she was. Then she saw Leo and smiled.

"Hi, Leo," she said. "What happened to me? Why do I feel so sleepy?"

The blue-clad Turtle took her hand in his. "Abby, you were shot," he said. "We brought you to the Lair to get you help."

"Am I going to die?"

"No, you're going to be fine," he reassured her. "Donnie got the bullet out."

Abby looked around again. "Is Daddy here, too?"

A sad look crossed Leo's face as he shook his head. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but your daddy's gone. He was also shot, but the bullet hit his heart. You know about the heart, don't you?"

"Yeah, my teacher said the heart goes ba-dump ba-dump and that it keeps us alive," Abby replied.

"That's right, Abby. But when the bullet hit his heart, it caused the heart to stop beating."

Tears filled Abby's eyes at Leo's words. "So Daddy's not coming back?"

"No, he's not," Leo said. He put his arms around her as she started crying for her father. He rubbed her back and held her, offering her whatever comfort he could. After a few minutes, the broke apart, and Leo asked her, "Is there anyone else who could take care of you once you're better?"

"My grandma lives in Florida, but she's in a nursing home. I don't want to go to Florida anyway. I want to stay here with you. Will you promise to take care of me, Leo?"

Leo looked into her blue eyes which were the same color as his and saw the need for reassurance there. Yes, he would be there for her, but he wouldn't be able to take care of her permanently when she healed. Still, he didn't have the heart to let her down now after all she'd been through. So he looked her in the eyes and said, "I promise to take care of you, Abby."

"Thank you, Leo," said Abby. "I love you."

"I love you, too, sweetie," Leo replied. "Now get some rest. We'll talk more about this later."

"Leo, I don't feel so good," Abby complained. "My tummy hurts, and I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

"It's probably from the stuff Donnie used to put you to sleep," said Leo. He found a basin Don usually had for them if they got sick and placed it beside Abby in the nick of time because she threw up. After she was done, he took the basin and emptied the contents in the toilet, flushing it and then washing the basin before returning it to Abby. She threw up two more times before her stomach settled down. Leo stayed by her side both times, rubbing her back and soothing her.

"Leo, can you sleep in here with me?" Abby asked him.

"Sure, I can stay with you if you want me to," Leo told her.

Abby moved over and patted the place next to her. Leo settled in next to her and placed Ruffles McBearington closer to her. He tucked the blankets around them so that Abby was warm and then kissed her forehead. "Good night, Abby," he whispered.

"Good night, Leo," she whispered back. "Good night, Ruffles McBearington." Then she laid her head on Leo's shoulder, and the two of them drifted off to sleep.

A/N: Isn't that sweet? I swear, I love writing scenes with Leo and Abby in them. So at least Abby will live, but now they have to decide what will happen next with her. Will she go to a foster home, or will the Turtles keep her there permanently? Find out in the next chapter. Also, I know the surgery seemed rushed, but I couldn't think of a way to prolong it. And as for Abby getting sick, that can happen. It happened to me when I had my eye surgery and my foot surgeries, and it wasn't fun. Feel free to leave a review, and have a shelltastic day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Feels Like Home

A/N: Hey, sorry for the delay on this chapter. Had sinus problems and didn't feel like posting. I want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing thus far. Your kind words and support mean the world to me. I'm so happy with how this story is turning out, and I can't wait to bring you more of it. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: TMNT belongs to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot.

Abby woke up feeling better than she had before. She was still a little sore, but she hoped that would clear up soon. She saw that Leo wasn't with her and began to grow worried. Where did he go? Had something happened to him?

"Leo, where are you?" she called.

Leo came running into the lab. "I'm right here, Abby," he said. "Are you okay?"

"I woke up and you weren't next to me," Abby replied. "I was scared that something had happened to you."

"I woke up early and decided to catch the news," Leo told her. "I'm sorry if I scared you."

"That's okay, Leo," Abby said. "You didn't mean it. Can I get up now?"

"First Donnie has to check your tummy wound and make sure it's okay. Then you can have some breakfast."

Not long after, Donnie came in to check Abby's wound. "Looks pretty good, Abby," he reported. "You are one lucky little girl." He put a salve that would help keep out infection on the wound and bandaged her up again.

"When will I get the stitches out?" Abby asked him.

"Probably in a day or two," Don replied. "But now it's time for you to get out of bed and get some breakfast." He removed her IV, and she hopped down and followed Don and Leo to the living area and to the curtain that served as the doorway to their kitchen. Leo parted the curtain and gestured for Abby to go ahead of him.

"Ladies first," he said, and Abby was thrilled that Leo thought of her as a lady.

"Thank you," she said as she entered the kitchen. She saw Mikey making breakfast at the stove and smells of bacon and eggs wafted toward her as well as the smell of pancakes. She saw Raph sitting at the table with someone she didn't know. When she looked at him, she became paralyzed with fear.

"Augggh! There's a rat in the kitchen!" she screamed and hid behind Leo's shell.

"Abby, it's okay," Leo soothed. "That's Master Splinter, our sensei and father. Sensei, this is Abby Brannigan, the girl I told you about."

"It is nice to meet you, Abby," Splinter said. "I am sorry if I frightened you. I assure you that I will not harm you in any way."

Abby slowly peeked out from behind Leo's shell and looked at Splinter. "Sorry that I yelled like that," she apologized. "I'm scared of rats. We had a lot of them in our apartment once, and they scared me. I don't like bugs either, especially cockroaches."

"I hear you there, kiddo," Raph said. "Those things are nasty."

"Hey, Abby, do you like chocolate chip pancakes?" Mikey asked her.

"Yes, I do," she replied. "Daddy didn't make them often, but when he did, it was always a treat for me."

"Awesome!" Mikey exclaimed. "Breakfast is served." He set a plate of chocolate chip pancakes on the table along with a plate of eggs and a plate of bacon.

Abby took her place between Leo and Donnie with Ruffles McBearington on her lap. Mikey served her two pancakes, some eggs, and some bacon. Leo cut up the pancakes so it was easier for Abby to eat them.

"Does your bear want anything?" Mikey asked her.

"No, Ruffles McBearington will share with me," she answered. "But he says thank you."

"Great, first he gets tea, and now that thing gets breakfast, too?" Raph scoffed.

Abby glared at him. "Ruffles McBearington is NOT a thing," she told him. "He's part of the family, and Daddy always gave him some food, too."

"Raphael, it is not good manners to make fun of a lady," Splinter scolded him. "And as I recall, when you were younger, you would often feed Spike whatever food you had at the table as well."

That made Raph stop and think. Then he said softly, "Sorry, kiddo."

"That's okay, Raph," Abby said. "Ruffles McBearington forgives you this time, but if you make fun of him again, he won't be nice to you anymore."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Raph with a smile.

After breakfast was over, Leo led Abby to a room called the dojo. He told her to bow before entering which she did perfectly after watching him. Then he told her to sit down while they began practice. She sat beside Splinter, who led the boys in a series of warm-ups. Then Splinter put them in pairs to face off against each other.

"What are they gonna do?" Abby asked him.

"They will be sparring," Splinter told her. "That means that they will practice fighting against each other."

"Oh. Does it hurt?"

"Well, sometimes accidents happen, but my sons are always very careful not to hurt one another on purpose."

Abby watched as Leo sparred against Raph and Don was against Mikey. After a certain amount of time, Splinter told them to switch opponents and continue the fight. They kept this up until all of them were able to spar with one another. Abby watched them practice and always cheered whenever Leo performed an interesting move and when he won his matches.

"Sounds like you have a cheering section, Leo," Mikey pointed out.

"Yeah, it definitely seems that way," Leo laughed.

When practice was over, Splinter instructed the Turtles to sit and meditate to clear their minds. Abby wasn't sure what this all meant, but it was boring to her, and she couldn't stop fidgeting in her spot. She was glad when practice finally ended and the Turtles bowed to Splinter before leaving the dojo with Abby in tow. Mikey called dibs on the shower, so the others had to wait for him to be done.

"Now what do you do?" Abby asked Leo.

"Well, we usually take our showers and then just do what we want for the rest of the day until it's time to patrol at night," Leo told her.

"Don't you go to school?"

"Sensei did teach us about things when we were younger, but after a certain age, he encouraged us to learn about things on our own," Don explained. "What grade are you in, Abby?"

"Third grade," she responded. "Why can't I just go to school on my won? My teacher will be worried I'm not there."

Leo and Donnie exchanged looks before Leo answered, "Because you're not better yet. Once you get better, we'll see about letting you go back to school. In the meantime, we can always teach you ourselves if you want."

"I'd like that," Abby said.

So after Don finished taking his shower, he went online and found materials to help Abby keep up with her grade level. He printed out some things for Abby to work on and also wrote down the name of a website that Abby could use to learn things that would help her keep up. It was also arranged that after morning practice, Don would be her teacher and help her keep up. They started that very day, and Abby really liked the way Don helped her to learn. She even wanted to learn how to fight like the Turtles did, and Splinter agreed that she could at least learn the basics first.

"Don't you think she's too young, Sensei?" Leo asked him.

"You four were younger than Abby when I first taught you ninjitsu," Splinter pointed out. "I do not see any harm in it as long as she remembers not to use the moves outside of the dojo unless she is in danger."

"I promise not to do the moves outside of the dojo unless I'm in danger," Abby repeated. "Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."

"That doesn't sound very pleasant," Mikey commented.

"It's an expression, Mikey," Don explained. "It's a part of the promise she's made. Kids say that stuff all the time, but they don't mean it literally."

"Will you be teaching me, Master Splinter?" Abby asked him.

"No, I believe Leonardo should be the one to teach you."

"But, Sensei, I'm still a student myself!" protested Leo.

"Yes, but you do know the basics by now," Splinter pointed out. "I believe that you are the right one to teach her, my son. She has a special bond with you, and I think she will benefit from what you know."

"Will you please teach me, Leo? Pleeeeeease?"

"Okay, Abby, I'll teach you," said Leo. "But you have to promise to listen to everything I say."

"I promise," said Abby. "Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."

"And when we're practicing, you have to call me Sensei, got it?"

"Got it," answered Abby. "Can we start right now?"

"Let's wait until after lunch," suggested Leo.

Abby agreed and continued to work on schoolwork until lunch time arrived. Mikey made grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, though Abby only ate two sandwiches and declined the soup because she didn't like it. Mikey wanted to have a contest to see who could make the longest cheese string, but Splinter admonished him, saying that it wasn't good manners to do that with a lady present.

After lunch was over, Abby followed Leo to the dojo for her very first lesson in ninjitsu. "Can Ruffles McBearington watch?" she asked him.

"Sure, but you have to tell him that he has to be quiet while we're practicing," Leo told her.

"You hear that, Ruffles McBearington? Sensei Leo is going to teach me ninjitsu, and he needs quite to do that. Do you understand?" She held the bear up to her ear and then turned to Leo. "Ruffles McBearington says he'll be as quiet as a mouse."

"Good. Now, let's start your lesson."

Abby set Ruffles McBearington against the wall and then went to where Leo was standing. She was determined to listen to what Leo said so she could fight like Leo did.

"Okay, Abby, we're going to start with punching first," Leo began. "Now, watch me." He took a fighting stance and demonstrated how he wanted Abby to punch. "Do you think you can try that?"

Abby nodded and mimicked his stance before repeating what he had shown her. "Like that?" she asked him.

"No, your stance is a little off," Leo corrected her. He showed her the correct stance and watched as she repeated the move. "There that's much better," he praised her.

"Okay, am I ninja like you now?" Abby asked him.

He laughed. "Not yet, Abby. It takes time and a lot of practice to become a true ninja."

"But I want to be a ninja now!" whined Abby.

"You will become one, Abby, but it doesn't happen right away," said Leo gently. "Now, let's continue the lesson." He grabbed a pillow and placed it in front of him. "I want you to punch this pillow with each of your hands just like I showed you. I'll call out which hand you have to use and you punch the pillow with that hand, okay?"

"Hai, Sensei," Abby replied.

"Right!" Leo called, and Abby punched the pillow with her right hand. "Good. Left!" Abby did the same with her left hand. Sometimes he'd call for the same hand a few times, and at others he would switch it up. There were a few times where Abby made a mistake, but she soon got the hang of it.

"Very good, Abby," Leo praised her after he called a halt. "Okay, that's all we'll do for today. Once your stitches come off, we can progress to kicks."

"Are we done now?" asked Abby.

"Not yet. Now it's time to meditate so you can clear your mind. Sit like me." He demonstrated the lotus position, and Abby tried to imitate him, but she kept falling over. "Okay, just sit Indian style if that's easier for you," he said. "Now close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Once you get into a pattern, try to clear out any thought you might have."

Abby did what Leo said, but it all sounded boring to her. She never liked to just sit still all the time ad often got scolded in school for fidgeting too much. Her legs were really starting to hurt so she began fidgeting and wondered when this was going to end.

"Abby, stop fidgeting," chastised Leo. "You have to sit still."

Abby was shocked. How did Leo know she was fidgeting when his eyes were closed? "Sensei, I don't like this," she complained. "My legs are tired, and I can't get rid of my thoughts."

Leo sighed. "Okay, we can stop meditation for now, but you're going to need to learn it sometime. It's one of the keys to being a ninja."

Abby got up and bowed to Leo. Then she picked up Ruffles McBearington and left the dojo in search of Mikey. He had promised to teach her how to play one of the arcade games. She found him on the couch, and he smiled when he saw her.

"How was practice, Abby?" Mikey asked her.

"Good, but I don't like meditation," she replied. "It's not fun."

"You just have to learn how to be patient," Leo told her.

Splinter chuckled. "Perhaps Abby is not ready for meditation yet," he said. "I remember having a hard time getting the four of you to sit still when I taught you how to meditate."

'You mean Leo couldn't sit still?" Abby asked incredulously.

"No, he could not," Splinter answered. "That is why I postponed teaching them meditation until they were ready to learn to sit still. I think the same may be the case for you, Abby."

"Then I guess we'll postpone meditation until you're ready to do it," Leo declared.

"Goody!" Abby cheered. "Let's play video games!" She hurried over to the Space Heroes pinball machine, but she was too short to reach the buttons. Mikey lifted her up so she could reach and told her what to do. Abby giggled as she watched the ball go through the obstacles. This was so much fun! She continued playing until Mikey got tired of holding her up, and then she went to watch cartoons with Leo and Raph.

Then they had dinner and talked about different things while eating. After dinner, the Turtles got ready to go on patrol. Abby wanted to go, too, but Leo told her she had to stay home.

"But, Leo, I can fight!" she insisted.

"You only know the basic punches, Abby," he reminded her. "Besides, you're too young to be fighting bad guys."

Abby's blue eyes turned angry and she stomped her foot. "No fair!" she shouted. "I should go, too."

"Abby, you're not going and that's final!" Leo said sternly. "Now go to your room."

Abby stuck out her tongue at the blue-clad Turtle, picked up Ruffles McBearington, and went to the room that was designated as her own. She sat on the futon and clutched Ruffles McBearington to her chest.

"Stupid Leo!" she fumed. "He's being a meanie pants right now. He wants me to learn to be a ninja, but he won't let me go out and fight. It's just not fair, Ruffles McBearington. Next time Leo wants tea, I'm not going to give him any. That'll fix him."

With that settled, Abby went to her tea table and poured some tea for herself and Ruffles McBearington. Then she heard a female voice and Splinter responding to it. Who was it? She heard them talking for a few minutes before they headed in the direction of what Abby knew to be the dojo. She learned after the lesson that the girl's name was April, but she didn't know anything else yet. She was tempted to leave her room to see what they were doing, but she knew Splinter would tell Leo that she'd disobeyed him, so she continued to play tea party until she heard a knock at her door.

"Abby, may I come in?" the girl named April asked. "Don't be scared. I'm a friend."

"Yes you may," Abby replied politely, and the girl entered. She had red hair pulled up in a ponytail, a yellow shirt with the number five on it, and jean shorts with leggings.

"Hi, I'm April O'Neil," she said. "You must be Abby Brannigan. The guys told me about you."

"They said they had a friend named April, but that's all they told me about you," Abby told her. "You want some tea?"

"Sure," April responded and sat down. "Who's your friend?"

"That's Ruffles McBearington," said Abby. "Daddy gave him to me for my birthday."

"Oh, I see," said April softly.

"Why are you here?" Abby asked her.

"Master Splinter is teaching me to be a kunoichi, a female ninja," she answered.

"Leo's teaching me that, too," said Abby, her eyes lighting up. "But he wouldn't let me go on patrol with them. He's such a meanie pants."

"How much have you learned?" April asked her.

"Just how to punch."

"Then I can understand why Leo won't let you fight," said April gently. "You're too young, and you haven't learned enough yet. Leo's just trying to protect you, Abby. He really cares about you."

"But I really want to fight!" complained Abby.

April laughed. "I felt the same way when Master Splinter started teaching me," she said. "I really wanted to prove myself, and I felt that I could fight just as well as the guys. But Splinter told me that being a true kunoichi takes time and a lot of practice. The same rules apply to you, Abby. You have to wait until you're old enough and have learned enough to fight with the guys."

"But how will I know when I'm good enough?" asked Abby.

"Leo will tell you when you're ready," replied April. "I think you should apologize to him for the way you acted today."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Abby replied.

When Leo returned he came to Abby's room. "Abby, do you have something to say to me?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry for sticking my tongue out at you and getting mad," recited Abby.

"That's okay, Abby," Leo said gently. "I know you want to be a ninja, but it's going to take time. You have to be patient, okay?"

"I'll try, Leo," Abby told him. "Do you want some tea?"

"No thanks, but I'll have some next time," Leo said. "Right now it's time for bed."

Abby nodded and Leo stepped out while she changed into her pajamas. When she was ready, Leo tucked her into bed and placed Ruffles McBearington beside her

Abby smiled up at him. "Goodnight, Leo," she said.

"Goodnight, Abby," Leo replied. "Sweet dreams." He kissed her on the forehead and left for his own room.

Abby snuggled down under her covers. She was so happy right now despite what had happened earlier. Yes, she missed Daddy very much, but she knew that Leo and his brothers cared for her. Living with them felt like home with Leo replacing Daddy and bonding with her just as Daddy used to. She really hoped she'd be able to stay with them forever. With that last thought in her head, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

A/N: Wow. Fourteen pages! I didn't think it was going to be that long. Yep, Leo's definitely acting like a father here, and I love it so much. He's so sweet and yet stern, too. So you know the drill. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.

Attention: The Stealthy Stories TMNT Fan Fiction Competition will be starting next month. For details, please visit StealthyStories Dot Prophbb Dot Com. We'd love to have new members join our site, but you don't have to be a member to get involved with the competition.


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